Slidable closure panel construction for walled structures



Dec. 24, 1968 c. E. SHERRON 3,417,509

SLIDABLE CLOSURE PANEL CONSTRUCTION FOR WALLED STRUCTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10, 1966 FIG.I

INVENTOR. Charles E.Sherron BY ATTORNEY 1968 c. E. SHERRON 3, 9

SLIDABLE CLOSURE PANEL CONSTRUCTION FOR WALLED STRUCTURES Filed Nov. 10, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,417,509 SLIDABLE CLOSURE PANEL CONSTRUCTION FOR WALLED STRUCTURES Charles E. Sherron, North Massapequa, N.Y., assignor of one-fourth to Louis J. Cook, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Nov. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 593,500 Claims. (Cl. 49-130) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A slidable closure panel arrangement for an opening in a wall wherein the closure panel is movable between a concealed storage position and a position in which the Wall opening is closed and the outer surface of the panel is flush with the outer surface of the wall.

Openings in cabinets, building walls, decks and the like, are frequently closed by means of sliding panel closures. For simplicity in construction and economies in fabrication, the closure panel in both its open and closed positions, lies in a common plane which is in offset relation to the plane of the wall portions about the opening therein. This necessarily leaves a depression in the wall surface when the panel is in its closed position.

However, it is frequently desirable to eliminate the depression in the wall surface when the panel is in its closed position, as in the case of cabinetry and the like; and to have the top surface of the closure panel substantially flush with the top surface of the wall about the opening. Since the panel must necessarily move from a depressed to a raised position as it closes the wall opening, means must be provided for supporting the panel in its raised, as well as depressed positions. Various expedients have been proposed for this purpose, but these have been found to be either too complicated in construction, or expensive to fabricate, or both.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved slidable panel closure construction of the character described, which is of simple design, constituted of a minimum number of parts, easily and economically fabricated, and lends itself to easy manipulation in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a panel closure construction of the character described, wherein simple abutment means at opposite ends of the panel closure coact with fixed abutment means to efiiciently support the panel in its closed position; the abutment means being a character which does not interfere with the movement of the panel between its open and closed positions.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a panel closure construction of the character described, simple interlock means for preventing inadvertent movement of the closure panel when it is in its closed position.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the closure panel construction embodying the invention; with the panel closure in its closed position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3, showing the panel closure in its open position.

Essentially, the instant invention is directed to a slidable panel closure for an opening in a wall, wherein the panel closure is movable between a position closing the wall opening and a position in which the panel closure is located rearwardly of a wall portion adjacent the opening; the panel closure in its closed position being flush with the top of the wall, means being provided for supporting and retaining the panel closure in its closed, flush position.

Thus, as shown in the drawing, 10 designates a flat wall of a structure, not shown in detail. Such a structure may be a cabinet, a building wall, a deck, or the like. Wall 10 is formed with a rectangular opening 11 for access to the interior of the structure or the other side of the wall, deck or the like; said opening having opposed side edges 12, 13 and opposed end edges 14, 15.

The opening 11 in wall 10 is adapted to be closed by a sliding panel 16 of suitable thickness. Panel 16 when in its closed position, not only fills opening 11 in wall 10, the panel edges 12A, 13A, 14A and 15A being adjacent the corresponding edges 12, 13, '14 and 15 of opening 11 in wall 10; but further, the top surface 17 of panel 16 is substantially flush with the top or outer surface 10A of wall10.

Means is provided for guiding and supporting panel 16 during its movements between the closed position thereof, as shown in FIG. 3, and its open position, indicated in the bottom or inner surface 10B of wall 10 adjacent edge 14 of opening 11 therein.

To this end, frame members 18 are secured to the underside of Wall 10, at edges 12, 13 of opening 11 therein; and a transverse frame member 20 is secured also to the underside of wall 10, at edge 15 of opening 11 therein. A pair of opposed track members 21 for slidably supporting the marginal side portions of panel 16, are secured to the frame members 18; said track members 21 extending from a point adjacent edge 15 of opening 11 to edge 14 thereof and beyond said edge to locate the same beneath the inner surface 10B as indicated at 22.

Track member portions 22 have top edges 23 which are uniformly spaced from the surface 10B of wall 10 with a distance therebetween equal to a value somewhat greater then the thickness of panel 16, so that panel 16 in its retracted position may be readily located beneath wall surface 10B. The forwardly extending portions 24 of track members 21 have top edges 25 which are inclined upwardly as the same approach edge 15 of wall opening 11, but terminating somewhat short thereof.

It will be apparent that panel 16 may be slidably moved on track members 21 over top edge portions 23, 25 thereof between positions thereof closing the wall opening 11 and exposing the same. Further, as panel 16 is advanced toward its closing position, forward edge portion 15A of panel 16 is raised from its depressed position when lying on rear track portions 22, by reason of the upwardly inclined track member edge portions 25, which at their extreme forward ends 26 have a spacing below wall surface 10A substantially equal to the thickness of panel 16. Thus, the forward edge 15A of panel 16 has its top surface 17 substantially flush with wall surface 10A.

Means is provided for automatically elevating the rear edge portion 14A of panel 16 to bring surface 17 thereof flush with wall surface 10A when the panel 16 has reached its fully closed position. To this end a pair of cam type abutment members 27 are secured in opposed relation to outer surface portions of track members 21 at a point slightly in advance of edge 14 of opening 11. Abutment members 27 have rearwardly disposed inclined cam surface edges 27A at an angle of 45 Panel 16 is provided on the underside 17A thereof with a pair of cam type abutment members 28 for coaction with members 27. Abutment members 28 are located inwardly of panel side edges 12A, 13A and adjacent edge 14A for respective alignment with members 27. Members 28 have forwardly disposed inclined cam surface edges 28A, also at an angle of 45. It will be apparent that as panel 16 is advanced along track members 21 to its closing position, members 28 will make contact with members 27 so that cam surfaces 28A ride on cam surfaces 27A, to thereby elevate the rear portion of panel 16; and, in the fully advanced, closing position of panel 16, the surface 17 thereof will be flush with the wall surface A.

Means is also provided for retaining panel 16 when in its closed position, against inadvertent longitudinal displacement. To this end, the underside of panel 16 has affixed thereto at edge A thereof, a rib member 30. A transversely extending rabetted member 31 is aflixed to frame member 20, thus forming a transverse groove 32 for receiving rib of panel 16 when said panel is in its fully closed position. The top edge 33 of member 31 is flush with terminal edges 26 of track member portions 25, providing further support for the forward panel edge 15A.

Thus, the interlock of rib member 30 with groove 32 prevents inadvertent displacement of panel 16 from its closed position. Track members 21 are cut out at their forward ends as at 34 to accommodate the opposite ends of rabetted member 31.

To retract panel 16 from its closed position, it is only necessary to lift the forward end of said panel, as by a small knob 35 affixed thereto adjacent panel edge 15A, to tilt the rear panel edge 14A downwardly to pass edge 14 of opening 11, as panel 16 is moved rearwardly. A bevel 37 on edge 14 facilitates the rearward movement of panel 16. The panel 16 can now be moved on edge portions 23 of track member portions 22 to a storage position beneath wall surface 103.

A stop member 36 secured to the bottom surface 103 rearwardly of edge 14 of opening 11, limits the retracted movement of panel 16. Also, a strip 38 secured to the underside of panel 16 and projecting rearwardly of edge 14A thereof, is adapted to extend to panel undersurface 10B at edge 14 of opening 11, to thereby retain panel 16 when in its closed position, from moving outwardly of opening 11.

The cam members 27 may be secured to track members 21 through oversize openings therethrough to permit a degree of adjustment of the position of said members 27 to thereby proper elevation of the rear portion of panel 16 when the same is moved to its closing position.

It is understood that in lieu of knob 35, panel 16 may be provided with other well known means for moving the same, such as a slot, finger hole, ring device, or the like.

As various changes might be made in the embodiment of the herein disclosed invention, without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein shown or described, shall be deemed illustrative and not limiting except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Closure means for a Walled structure having a wall formed with an opening therein, said opening having opposed end portions and opposed side portions, 9. closure panel arranged for slidable movement between a position for closing said opening and a position wherein said panel is disposed beneath a portion of said Wall and adjacent the opening therein to thereby expose said opening; track means for guiding the slidable movement of said panel, slidably coacting fixed abutment means on opposite end portions of said track means and corresponding portions of said panel for supporting said panel on movement to its first mentioned position with the top surface thereof substantially flush with surface portions of said wall adjacent the opening therein, and coacting means on one edge portion of said panel and on said wall adjacent an edge portion of the opening therein for retaining said panel in its closed position against inadvertent movement thereof.

2. Closure means as in claim 1 wherein said wall includes opposed side edge portions and opposed end edge portions for defining the opening therein, said track means comprising a pair of rail members respectively secured to the opposed side edge portions of said Wall, the side edge portions of said panel making slidable contact with said rail members during the slidable movement of said panel between said first and second mentioned positions thereof, said rail members having upwardly and forwardly inclined upper edge portions for raising the forward end of said panel as said panel moves from its second mentioned position to its first mentioned position.

3. Closure means as in claim 2, wherein said coacting abutment means includes a pair of opposed cam members secured to the underside of said panel adjacent the rear end thereof and a pair of opposed cam members located adjacent the rear end edge of said opening for engagement by said first mentioned pair of cam members as said panel moves from its second mentioned position to its first mentioned position for raising the rear end of said panel.

4. Closure means as in claim 3, wherein said panel retaining means comprises transversely extending groove means and rib means receivable in said groove means.

5. Closure means as in claim 1, wherein said track means comprises a pair of rail members secured to said wall in depressed relation to the top surface of said wall, said rail members comprising opposed forwardly extending portions located at the opposed side portions of said opening and rearwardly extending opposed portions located beneath and in downwardly spaced relation to the bottom surface of the wall portion adjacent the rear end portion of said opening, whereby said panel may be supported by the rearwardly extending portions of said rail members While said panel is in its second mentioned position, said forwardly extending portions of said rail members having upwardly and forwardly inclined top edge portions for progressively raising said panel during its movement from said second mentioned position to the first mentioned position thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 400,562 4/ 1889 Goelet 49-213 728,008 5/1903 Puschel 49-209 1,908,929 4/ 1933 Stewart 49-211 X 2,228,711 1/1941 Steuber 49-215 2,416,132 2/1947 Watson 49-130 X 2,698,466 1/ 1955 McHenry 49-213 2,992,460 7/1961 Hentges 49-130 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 49-209 

